St. Paul daily globe., 1887-10-13
He PupSueS An Extended and
Profitable Career as a
Bank Wrecker.
Sensational Developments Re-
garding An Old Time Rob-
berry and Murder.
A Connecticut Cashier Gets
Away With Securities VAL
ued at 100000.
An Actress Brands Herself I'm
der Oath as the Mistress
of a MIR. Leonard.
Special to the Globe,

Special to the Globe
CLEVELAND, Oct. IA private in
VeStigatiOn into the affairs of j. S. Dan
ford, recently of Akron, o., proves that
he is without doubt the shrewdest and
most daring bank wrecker of the age. A
recital OF the details of his many eX-
ploitS would fill book. His history in
brief is as follows: When only eighteen
years OF age he went to California, 10
Gated a mine, and was soon offered
100000 for it. He refused. Soon after
the mine played out and he was left
with nothing. Then he married, and
after figuring in many schemes settled
down in Kansas. In 1881 he engaged in
Kansas land speculations, when he Or
ganized bank Ill Usage City, which
had for its vice president Senator
Plumb. He also established another
bank at Caldwell, Kan. Suddenly Dan
ford closed the bank and said dis
charged cmploye had stolen the funds.
The cowboy depositors wouldn't Se-
lIeve him, and for two days they threat
ened lynching and dragged him about
with rope around his neck, but failed
w many iiilii ulSSO1SC, IlC llOODS Nc1G
ordered out to quell the uproar. Dan
ford finally gave the cowboys a bogus
deed for land worth S47 900, and skipped.
lie next operated a bank at Cheney,
Washington territory. He made a
young man named Dan AinSWOrth, of
Akron, treasurer. In few days he put
$4,000 in his inside pocket and diSap-
peared. Immediately after, Ainsworth'S
relatives in Akron, received the follow
ing dispatch: ''FOr Gods sake send me
$4,000; bank failed. l am in jail and
threatened with lynching." The money
was sent. Meanwhile Danford
WAS TAKEN SICK.
He kept busy, nevertheless, and soon
had his attending physician, Dr.. l.. j.
PrOehl, Of Akron, interested in bank
ing scheme in Dakota. He also drew
Capt. f. G. Steele, a writing teacher in
the Akron public schools, into his net.
He sent out circulars to the West
ern towns representing Steele
to be an English millionaire
anxious to invest in the banking
business, and representing himself as
Steele'S attorney and manager. w. S.
Birch was owner of a bank in Portland,
Oak. In July last year Danford went
to Portland with power of attorney from
Steele, the millionaire, and together
with DR.. Proehl, purchased the bank,
giving $4,000 in notes, said to be Sc
cured by Kansas real estate. Danford
remained few days; then he took his
notes and $1,000 from the bank and
skipped, leaving DIR. Proehl to face the
music. The latter was in poor health,
and the strain caused by being left with
a wrecked bank on his hands was too
much. He sickened and died. Dan
ford'S scheme was to get control of a
bank py giving bogus securities, re-
deem with the money of depositorS,
then take what was left and disappear.
Besides the places mentioned he has
operated in Classy and Angus
To-; Dadeyille, Ala; Winchester,
Tenn; Smiths Grove, Ky; Greenyille,
Charleston, Webster and Murphy, n.
c.. Alberton, Ga, and Frederick, Oak.
Windsor, Canada, and Niagara Falls are
his favorite stopping places. He has
accumulated fully $500, 900 in the last six
years. DanfOrd carries in his pockets
recommendations from Senators Plumb
and ingalls,, of Kansas, and other prom
inent men of the West. Steele was re-
Gently dismissed from the Akron schools
in disgrace in consequence of his con-
nectlOn with these bank wrecking ex-
ploits. 1t is thought that Danford has
his money in Canada OF deposited with
some saving and trust company in Chi
cagO. He usually had his mail for
warded from Akron under cover, but
has lately been sending out letters from
Cleveland. Where his next field of Op
erationS will be is matter for Specula-
tiOn